Break Cues, Not what you think

J Soto said:
The best break cue I've ever tried was the $600-$700 Mezz break cue. Too bad I can't justify spending that much on a break cue. If only Mezz would price their cues a little more consumer friendly they would sell a lot more IMHO. I can't get the thought of the Mezz out of my head. Ah f*** it, I'm going to buy one.
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I went onto the Miki Mezz website and looked through all the pros they sponsor and the cues they use are listed. Click on Pool players and it's all there. Most used the Power Break Cue with varying shafts, very few used the high end Power Break Pro model. I found that interesting but I know what they can do with a cue is likely to be different than us mere mortals. Just more info for everyone that may be interested.
http://www.miki-mezz.com/en/
 
Good post John. I also have ben looking for a great break cue for a few years. I have owned several jump breaks (production and custom), and tried many others. IMO, none of them jump and break well, the ether jump well and break ok or break well and jump ok. Again, IMO, I feel a dedicated break cue and dedicated jump cue is the way to go. I recently purchased a JB 2x5/3x4 case, so I have the room for both cues, so this is the path I will be following. Just a personal observation, I see many really good to great players (non-sponsored) using a Predator BK2.

John
 
The Break Cue

The break cue is like any other specialized “tool”. The break cue is made for doing a specific job. A good break cue is made for accurately striking a 6 ounce cue ball, at 29.33 feet per second (20 mph) or even faster.

Cue length is a major factor in design, because cue length does affect the overall weight and balance of the pool cue.

The “Crescent Wrench, Monkey Wrench or House Cue” will do the job of substituting for a specific tool, if that is all you have to use. Please remember this, a good tool always does the job better and faster. Having good equipment is a necessity. Having very nice equipment is plus, but not a necessity.

To say that any cue can be used for breaking is a broad statement and a vague statement too. Some cues have splintered at impact. The spine of some cues, actually allow impact with the cue ball, to buckle the cue’s spine, and thereby lose power and direction in the stroke.

Some good break cues have the wrong kind of leather tip, or a bad leather tip, which can allow too much compression. The tip on any cue is very important, it is where the “rubber meets the road”, as Mr. Firestone used to say.
 
I have a sledgehammer j/b and a diveney j/b...plus I use my playing cue for the break shot often.

I can't say one is always best, if shit isn't working then I try something else...move the cueball, rack on a different part of the spot, elevate the cue butt, change cue.

Gotta adapt to succeed- easier said than done, admittedly.
 
J-Flo said:
First, this is not a post about what cue I should get or what weight I should use. It more of an observation.
I was lucky enough to sit in front of the TV table at Beloit this weekend and I was able to look at the break cues that the players used. I looked at what tip and what weight they used. Im on a quest for the break cue that will pocket a ball every time I break, so that why I paid close attention to the players equipment. Im a dreamer. Just saying.

Well what I found out was really surprising. I seen guys break with cues that cost $35 on up to $1200. It seemed that most had a story with there break cue. Everything from a fan gave it to me, to I borrowed it and never gave it back. Shane doesn't use one and Cory uses a bright blue OB. Weight varied from 17 to 24oz . Condition was another issue. I seen a guy clean his break cue after each break and i seen a guy sneeze in his hand and grab is breaker and go sink 3 balls.

Ive been looking for a break cue that I like for about 3 years. Ive tried them all but nothing keeps my attention. I read all the reviews and try and decide what to try next. I just got a Mezz pbII with the hi shaft and a friend came over and made me an offer I couldn't refuse so its gone.

Another thing I noticed was allot of the guys use a jump break combo. most said it was because of space limitations in the case. But the guys who jumped with a jump cue only, seemed to be more accurate, but thats another thread.
I was shocked to see a couple of pure x J/B combos out there.

Well, ive come to the conclusion that it really doesn't matter what cue you use cause for the 2 days I was there the players seemed to go in streaks. They would make a ball every time they broke and then they would break dry for an entire match. I thought Corey was braking bad then I noticed his cue ball ended up in exactly the same spot every time he broke (not the center of the table). He got my attention cause I was looking at the OB as my next in the quest for the ultimate break cue. Shane had the best control of all the players and he used his playing cue.

So as the old saying goes, Its not the poker its the stroker. Its how well your hitting the cue ball in the desired spot with the right speed and when it all comes together that you make a couple or three balls and now a 10 ball game turns into a 7ball game.
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While it's certainly true that a player has to find what's comfortable to them I can testify that I know for certain that some break cues do break better than others.

My history shows that I used to say the exact opposite. And I still feel that timing and technique are a HUGE part of it. Still the biggest part.

But technologically I have also had a front row seat with experiments that ran into the hundreds of prototypes to figure out what causes the cue ball to move faster and impart more power into the rack.

So, SOME break cues "work" better. Whether or not they would work better for you is the magic question.

I don't use a break cue either but I have few good ones and a few of the prototypes I mentioned earlier.

In the end though, if any of the break cue makers could prove beyond a doubt that their cue performed better at all speeds they would have all the business. So, given that, I say you are mostly right, personal preference and the money is probably better spent investing in a BreakRak and wearing it out like Shane did.
 
What I discovered,with my break,is it MUST feel good in my hands,and MUST hit well.

I used a cocobolo butt,piloted wood joint Joss SP (2nd generation) for 15 years,and still have it.

Three years ago,I replaced it with a Schon STL-1 Ebony. I used it with the original tip up until a few months ago. It now has a heavily modded Triangle on it that is probably as hard as the Samsara J/B tip.

As many people as there have been that have had success with break cues like the McD version of the Sledgehammer,the Stinger,etc,to me they feel like a club,LOL. Tommy D.
 
I always use a house cue for breaking and it seems that every time I forget to switch to my own cue after the break I usually make the next shot.
 
I own a dozen cues and not a single one of them is a dedicated "break" cue.

That said, to lessen the load and protect the tip on my player shafts, I have a 13mm $40 ebay-special standard shaft with a LePro tip on that I use as a dedicated break shaft on cues with 5/16 x 14 piloted joints. Sometimes that shaft ends up on an Espiritu butt and becomes my temporary breaker, and sometimes I play with the Espiritu and the "break shaft" ends up on the Schon.

Most recently, I have started breaking using a plain-jane McDermott I picked up in a pawn shop a while back. That cue has no weight bolt in it and weighs a smidge over 17oz. I've found I prefer a lighter cue to break with as I get what feels like faster speed on the cue ball that way.

I usually make at least one ball on the break. :)
 
I think it's going to be great to see the best breakers on video dissecting their form. Imitation is one of the biggest keys to improvement. So many people DO NOT really know what the pros are doing. Lots of assumptions but very little data.

My Samsung phone does a pretty credible job of slow motion. I am sure other people's does as well. That coupled with the fact that most playback platforms also support slow motion should be enough for anyone really interested to film pro movements for everyone to analyze.
 
Bob Jones makes a Stroke Analyzing software that can be used with two (2) Logitech Webcams ($325 package for all 3 items) or your choice of camcorders.

The software takes front & side videos simultaneously. You can video yourself a half hour & then sit & watch your performance in slow motion, you can also zoom in & out. And you can cut & paste. You can toggle between screens & you can apply a stick figure overlay, so you see what is transpiring in your stroke,

This is a great tool for self-helping your learning process.

Since every game starts with the Break Shot, it would seem that folks would want to practice this shot, to gain some prowess like Van Boening did.

Good luck...
 
If your serious..

ceebee said:
Bob Jones makes a Stroke Analyzing software that can be used with two (2) Logitech Webcams ($325 package for all 3 items) or your choice of camcorders.

The software takes front & side videos simultaneously. You can video yourself a half hour & then sit & watch your performance in slow motion, you can also zoom in & out. And you can cut & paste. You can toggle between screens & you can apply a stick figure overlay, so you see what is transpiring in your stroke,

This is a great tool for self-helping your learning process.

Since every game starts with the Break Shot, it would seem that folks would want to practice this shot, to gain some prowess like Van Boening did.

Good luck...
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I think if your serious about your break then this is a better rout that buying a $700 Mezz and still having bad technique.
 
Buy a Break Rak for the games that require a hard break. Buy Joe Tucker's racking secrets to learn how to read the rack. Buy templates to learn how to break using them. Lock yourself into a room with all that until you know everything there is to know about the break for all games.

Then think about the cue.
 
I like this topic, I have been searching for a suitable break cue for some time.

actually I saw that the shaft taper has a big influence on cue ball control, as some are easier to strike the ball at desired point.

for both jumping and breaking, I think a short pro taper, like Lomax and Eric Crisp use on their cues help contribute to a more consistently precise contact point, at various speed break, to Mezz or Predator break cues, who use a more like European taper. I also think pro taper makes the cue a bit more flex, which is better for control than a hard feeling European taper.

I have tried Preds, Mezz, and I am not particularly fond of any of them, Preds have more flex to their break cue but still I don't like them. Mezz break cues are too hard for me.

I had a Sugartree which is designed to be a break cue and it breaks very very well, with a pro taper shaft. I put on a Samsara tip and it was the best break cue I have tried. I sold it because I needed cash then but I have not found a satisfactory replacement yet. I am breaking with my playing cue.
 
I am also in the market to get a break cue. I have been putting it off for so long because they aren't cheap and I don't want to have to keep buying and selling until I find the right one that fits my personal preferences. I have seriously been considering the Players Pure X HXT but haven't quite made up my mind if I would rather have a J/B or just a break cue and a jump cue. decisions, decisions. I have also thought about putting a hard tip on my regular maple cue and just using that as a breaker. MMMmmmmmmmmm.
 
I think a dedicated Break Cue is a necessity, except for games that don't require a hard break. I even like a flatter crown on my Break Cue tip, to reduce Squirt, a solid shaft to increase the column strength of the cue, good balance for feel & a great tip to reduce any miscuing.

Have you looked in the buy & sell area? There are some good break cues there, I have a new Pechauer Break Cue for sale. Use the search function to see the cues that are for sale on this forum.
 
Though I know guys with amazing strokes that can break with a warped house cue and smash the balls I am not one of those guys nor do I expect to be. I will say though, I've had several break cues over the years but found, side by side, the BK2 and BK3 are superior to any I've tried for ME...So I have to disagree that the break cue really doesn't make a difference or you can take a junk cue and add the same ferrule and tip and it will do the same thing for you as a BK2 or BK3...I can't get behind that. Now if you're SVB it probably makes no difference at all. I doubt Mike D breaks with a Predator BK3 because it sucks ;) He's another guy that could break with a house cue and smash em every time I know but don't tell me a superior breaker with a superior break cue won't have even better results if only marginally....
 
StuartTKelley said:
Though I know guys with amazing strokes that can break with a warped house cue and smash the balls I am not one of those guys nor do I expect to be. I will say though, I've had several break cues over the years but found, side by side, the BK2 and BK3 are superior to any I've tried for ME...So I have to disagree that the break cue really doesn't make a difference or you can take a junk cue and add the same ferrule and tip and it will do the same thing for you as a BK2 or BK3...I can't get behind that. Now if you're SVB it probably makes no difference at all. I doubt Mike D breaks with a Predator BK3 because it sucks ;) He's another guy that could break with a house cue and smash em every time I know but don't tell me a superior breaker with a superior break cue won't have even better results if only marginally....
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Since we are all different, we all have different needs. We all want to have a good Break Shot in all the games of Pool, but does anybody practice the Break Shot or watch videos or even read books on the Break Shot? I wrote a book on the Break Shot & lots of folks have taken advantage of that info. After you learn what you want to do, then you have to learn application of that knowledge. That is where practice comes in. Practice is fun, we make it drudgery because we lose sight of the reward & the minuscule improvements we make in the learning process... we want it now, but that ain't gonna happen, so we remain stymied.

The Break Shot is like the Drive in Golf. The Golfer & the breaker are using lots of motion to create a desired outcome. The putt & the play stroke are almost motionless except for the body parts used to control the cue or the putter. Imagine if you will, what would happen to Pro Golf, if those boys never hit the freeway & their putts didn't fall? Their scores would go straight up & their fan base straight down.

All of us want to be better players, but only a few are dedicated to becoming better. And only a few of us will never get better for more than one reason. If you are like me & have physical limitations, you will never play 10 speed Pool. I play 7-8 speed on a Bar Box, but that ain't bad. I have won lots of tournaments playing with my peers. I have a broken back in 5 places, I can't turn my head to look at the shot, my stroke arm has a 25 degree loss in movement, I have 2 bad legs, I'm 72 & can't see good, but I refuse to quit learning & trying. If I can do it, you can.

The other reason is that practice & learning ain't your bag.

The Break Shot is a legal shot, just a much more difficult shot than a two rail double-combination kick in. It is not just a way to begin the game, It is the first shot & your hopes are to continue shooting after the balls quit rolling. You can do this, many a player has learned how, That proves that you can too.

Good Luck to all.
 
J-Flo said:
Yes, and never scratches, and keeps the cue ball in the center of the table, and does my laundry.
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But seriously though, I'm happy with my Alex Brick break cue.
Had one for over a year and have no intention to replace it.
Keep in mind some of this is also a matter of what you get used to.
Had I gotten a Predator or an OB I might have said "I'm happy with my Predator/OB and have no intention to replace it"
Just get something and play it for a year and then decide, you can always sell it.
The OB's are excellent too.
 
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